Efraimson-Rogers showdown looms in 800
By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor
The national focus moves to the Renton, Wash. this weekend for the Brooks PR Invitational with a 12 races that are loaded with some of the top talent from across the U.S.
In some ways, this meet is an experiment. Brooks, which has put on a successful indoor meets the past few years, is moving outside for the first time.
Brooks was able to lock down a great date on the calendar. It comes between New Balance Nationals and U.S. Juniors and there are no other major meets to interfere with it.
The question is, how many athletes not targeting U.S. and World Juniors are still in shape to actually go after their PRs?
The meet begins on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Pacific at Renton Memorial Stadium.
And the weather this time of year in the Northwest is nearly perfect for distance runners. Expect a high temperature of 72 degrees. No altitude. No sweltering humidity. There is definitely an opportunity here for many PRs to tumble in a meet with no prelims and (almost) no doubling.
The competition in most of these races is at a national-championship caliber.
Chief among them are the girls 100 (Ariana Washington vs. Kaylin Whitney), the girls 800 (Alexa Efraimson vs. Raeyvn Rogers) and the boys 400 (Devante Lacy vs. Zyaire Clemes and Richard Rose).
Here is a breakdown of all 12 races:
Boys 100 meters
The lineup:
Jonnie Green, jr, Ephrata, Wash.
Trentavis Friday, sr, Cherryville, N.C.
Andre Ewers, sr, Sunrise, Fla.
Terry Jernigan, sr, Clermont, Fla.
Richard Rose, jr, Queens, N.Y.
Cravon Gillespie, sr, Monrovia, Calif.
Jaalen Jones, sr, Alabaster, Ala.
Breakdown: Friday is coming off a dominant win in the 200 meters at NBNO last week and has established himself as best sprinter in the country. He has run 10.17 at this distance and is trying to go even faster so he can feel confident going into US Juniors, where he will have to lock horns with NCAA champ Trayvon Bromell. Jernigan, who is US#3 at 10.26, is the only likely challenger. He was third at the adidas Dream 100 last week. Ewers won the Great Southwest and is a strong candidate for third.
Boys 110 hurdles
The lineup:
Kendall Sheffield, jr, Missour City, Texas
Kaleb Dobson, sr, Everett, Wash.
Kenny Selmon, sr, Atlanta, Ga.
Tevin Mayfield, sr, Tempe, Ariz.
Misana Viltz, sr, Long Beach, Calif.
Jeremy McDuffie, jr, Snellville, Ga.
Justin Cromartie, sr, Tallahassee, Fla.
Eric Simpson, sr, Puyallup, Wash.
Breakdown: This race should belong to US#2 Viltz, the California champion who has clocked 13.47. Sheffield is US#3 with 13.63 but that was back on May 9 at the Texs state championships. Any race that includes the California champion and the Texas champion is bound to be good. Selmon may be US#10 but he came up big last weekend in the 400 hurdles at NBNO. He is ramping up for a bid to make the U.S. team for the second summer in a row and is a safe bet to beat his PR of 13.90.
Boys 400
The lineup:
DeVante Lacy, sr, Tomball, Texas
Zyaire Clemes, sr, Trenton, N.J.
Richard Rose, jr, Queens, N.Y.
Ryan Clark, jr, College Park, Ga.
Kevin McClanahan, sr, Erie, Colo.
Ricky Morgan, sr, Woodbridge, Va.
Grant Swinton, sr, Snellville, Ga.
Kemonie Briggs, sr, Long Beach, Calif.
Breakdown: The carrot dangling here is a chance to be the first guy in the country to crack 46 seconds and there are several who believe they can do it. Lacy posted US#1 46.10 back on May 10 so it's uncertain whether he is still in that type of shape. Clemes was second, and Rose was fourth, in the NBNO finals last weekend. Both have a little something to prove this weekend and should be motivated with a chance to go against the current US leader. A wildcard is Clark, who ran 46.33 last summer but hasn't gone faster than 47.62 yet this spring and hasn't raced since May 10. Likewise, Morgan's best time is from 2013. McClanahan, the Colorado champion, is US#7 (46.78).
Boys 800
The lineup:
Charles Jones, Jr., sr, St. Louis, Mo.
Joseph White, sr, Wayne, N.J.
Robert Ford, sr, San Antonio, Texas
Blake Haney, sr, Bakersfield, Calif.
Myles Marshall, jr, Kingwood, Texas
Derek Holdsborth, sr, Williamsburg, Va.
Javon Patterson, jr, Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.
Jeramey Hampton, jr, Suwanee, Ga.
Josh Ingalls, sr, Snellville, Ga.
Carlton Orange, jr, Memphis, Tenn.
Breakdown: Coming out of last weekend's NBNO, where the national rankings were reshuffled, the new favorite appears to be Joseph White. He ran US#4 1:48.75 on the way to second place and lowered his PR by nearly two seconds. Marshall and Myles placed third and fourth, respectively, last week and both broke 1:50. One of the best storylines within this race is the Georgia state meet rematch between Jeramey Hampton, who ran 1:51.84 to defeat Ingalls, who went 1:51.86. Charles Jones will surely be looking to run under 1:50 and his recent win at Great Southwest showed that he was in shape to do it. Haney, who was third at the Dream Mile last week, will also be looking to crush his PR (1:51.97) from back in April. Ford, a World Youth team member last year, and Patterson and Orange, all have PRs dating to 2013.
Boys Mile
The lineup:
Jack Yearian, soph, Tacoma, Wash.
Austin Tamagno, soph., Brea, Calif.
Wesley Pectol, sr, Greeneville, Tenn.
Garrett Corcoran, sr, Villa Park, Calif.
Nathan Rodridguez, sr, Tempe, Ariz.
Sukhi Khosla, jr, Tallahassee, Fla.
Patrick Perrier, sr, O'Fallon, Ill.
Elijah Armstrong, jr, Pocatello, Idaho
Matthew Maton, jr, Bend, Ore.
Andrew Brewer, sr, South Jordan, Utah
Ellis Newton, sr, Lakewood, Calif.
Drew Schreiber, sr, Yakima, Wash.
Josh Evans, sr, Marion, Iowa
Breakdown: Maton showed what he is capable of last weekend in New York, where he kicked to second in the Dream Mile in 4:03.23. With the IAAF junior standard already safely in his pocket this is a chance to work on racing skills for him. He probably gave up too much ground to Fisher last weekend early in the race and couldn't make it up. Evans was fourth last week and should be at or near the front of this race as well. Corcoran and Pectol were fifth and sixth last week. Khosla will be looking to redeem himself after a 13th place finish in New York. Likewise, Newton will have a chance to finish on a high note after winning the CIF Southern Section 800 and 1600 and then faltered in the state prelims. Perrier is ranked 10th in the mile with 4:06.70. Schreiber, the Washington state champion, is one of six future UW Huskies in the meet and will no doubt want to represent his home state well. Sophomores Tamagno and Yearian provide a glimpse of the future.
Boys 2 Mile
The lineup:
Aaron Templeton, sr, Knoxville, Tenn.
Noah Kauppila, sr, Chesterfield, Mo.
John Dressel, jr, Mead, Wash.
Cerake Geberkidance, sr, Denver, Colo.
Andrew Rafla, sr, Boise, Idaho
Conner Mantz, jr, Smithfield, Utah
Steven Fahy, sr, Carlsbad, Calif.
Dan Curts, sr, Ellsworth, Maine
Grant Fisher, jr, Grand Blanc, Mich.
Chandler Austin, sr, Boone, Iowa
Thomas Pollard, jr, Gilbert, Iowa
Blair Hurlock, sr, Concord, Calif.
Fred Huxham, sr, Larkspur, Calif.
Breakdown: Fisher seems to be on a two-part plan to own the US#1s in the mile and two-mile and after his performance last week in New York, there is no reason to doubt him. His PR of 8:55.75 came back on April 25. Expect him to break 8:50 in this deep and talented field, but most importantly, expect him to win. He has a nose for the finish line. Fisher will see Dressel for the first time since they battled up the final straightaway at Foot Locker. The biggest challenges should come from Rafla, who ran US#3 8:50.55 at Arcadia and hasn't gone that hard since; Geberkidane, who ran US#4 8:50.88 for 3200 at Arcadia; and Mantz, who ran 8:57.99 at 5,000 feet elevation at his state meet. Also, consider the Iowa state finals rematch between US#2 Thomas Pollard (8:50.43 for 3200) and US#7 Chandler Austin (8:51.74). Dan Curts, who ran US#5 8:51.22 at the Loucks Games on May 10, could also be in that lead pack. A darkhorse is Huxham, who won the California state title (8:54.24) and beat Fahy and Haney to do it.
Boys 4xMile
Breakdown: Gig Harbor, with a talented front four that powered the team to the NXN cross country title, placed second in this event at New Balance Nationals Indoor (behind CBA). The enticing storyline here is that Northport, fresh off its win at NBNO and with three guys under nine minutes in the two-mile, could be the new favorite in this race. And North Central, which presumably includes Tanner Anderson and Kai Wilmot in the lineup, is also very strong.
Girls 100
The lineup:
Ky Westbrook, sr, Chandler, Ariz.
Krystal Sparling, jr, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Ariana Washington, sr, Long Beach, Calif.
Hannah Cunliffe, sr, Federal Way, Wash.
Kaylin Whitney, soph, Clermont, Fla.
Deanna Hill, sr, Orlando, Fla.
Jasmine Quinn, jr, Charleston, S.C.
Breakdown: Washington is the national leader at 100 (11.22) and 200 and she will have the chance to back that up against a high-quality national field. Whitney ran 11.27 last weekend to win the adidas Dream 100 in New York and her matchup with Washington is one of the best of the meet this weekend. Add Westbrook, gold medalist at the World Youth Championships last summer who has not quite caught up to her top 2013 times (11.33 PR). No one will travel less than Federal Way's Cunliffe, who has a golden opportunity to shine in her own backyard. Spaulding has run well two weekends in a row -- taking first in the 200 at Great Southwest and placing fourth last weekend at NBNO.
Girls 100 hurdles
The lineup:
Dior Hall, sr, Denver, Colo.
Ashley Miller, soph, Greenwood Village, Colo.
Chantel Ray, sr, Hampton, Va.
Jasmine Quinn, jr, Charleston, S.C.
Stefani Kerrison, sr, Orlando, Fla.
Tiana Bonds, sr, Las Vegas, Nev.
Ariel Jones, sr, Humble, Texas
Daeshon Gordon, sr, Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.
Breakdown: Hall is one of the greatest prep hurdlers of all-time and her mission here is break 13 seconds -- and possibly take down the national record. She is US#1 with 13.09 and an overwhemling favorite to win this race if she gets through it cleanly. Also in the race are Nos. 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 15. Miller ran 13.38 while chasing Hall at the Colorado state finals and the sophomore and could be the top hurdler in the country next year. Ray is US#5 with 13.42, which she recorded at the Virginia state meet. Keep an eye out for Bonds, who was less than a quarter second behind Hall at Great Southwest where the final was run into a headwind. Quinn is doubling with the 100 and has run 13.33 wind-aided, as well as US#8 13.55 wind-legal. Gordon is US#9 at 13.61 and has also run 13.46w. Kerrison and Jones have PRs from 2013.
Girls 400
The lineup:
Olivia Baker, sr, Maplewood, N.J.
Kaelin Roberts, fr, Long Beach, Calif.
Madeline Price, sr, Atherton, Calif.
Karrington Winters, jr, New Albany, Ohio
Deja Parrish, sr, Plantation, Fla.
Kendall Ellis, sr, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Anna Jefferson, soph, Oak Park, Mich.
Hannah Derby, sr, Tacoma, Wash.
Breakdown: Is the best 400-meter runner in the country really a freshman? Kaelin Roberts is US#1 at 52.53 and already appears to be the next big thing out of Long Beach Poly. However, Olivia Baker stands in the way this weekend. And he haven't seen what Baker is capable of when all she has to focus on is one race. Last weekend, Baker came up short in the 4x400 relay and the 800 meters. This weekend, we'll find out how she rebounds from rare losses. Ellis and Jefferson are also quite capable of running to the victory here, which makes this event one of the most compelling of the meet. Price is US#4 and was second to Roberts at the California state meet. Winters suffered a hamstring injury at the Ohio state meet, which prevented her from a possible three-peat in the 400 there. Parrish's PR dates to 2012 and she was sixth in her state meet this year. Derby is a four-time state champion in Washington.
Girls 800
The lineup:
Raevyn Rogers, sr, Houston, Texas
Alexa Efaimson, jr, Camas, Wash.
Rose Christen, sr, Silverdale, Wash.
Kailee Sawyer, jr, Waterloo, Ontario
Hannah Parker, jr, Northwood, N.H.
Lauren Ellsworth, jr, Highland, Ariz.
Ersula Farrow, jr, Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.
Kaley Ciluffo, jr, Bettendorf, Iowa
Alexis Daugherty, sr, Sammamish, Wash.
Breakdown: A pair of World Youth medalists go head-to-head in the best matchup of the day. Raevyn Rogers won the NBNO title last weekend in the 800 and it's the event that she hopes to be an Olympic champion some day. Efraimson has been on a tear all spring and became the second-fastest 1,500-meter runner in prep history last weekend. Rogers has a PR of 2:03.32 from last summer. Efraimson would like to run under 2:03 and break Becca Noble's Washington state record. Christen ran US#5 2:05.64 while hanging on to Efraimson at the Washington state meet. Sawyer, from Canada, and Parker, from New Hampshire (third at NBNO) could all help push the pace early. But this is ultimately Rogers vs. Efraimson and it should be something special.
Girls Mile
The lineup:
Haley Dorris, sr, Temecula, Calif.
Rachel Coleman, sr, Northville, Mich.
Anna Maxwell, sr, Felton, Calif.
Megan Beauchene, sr, Kennewick, Wash.
Amelia Paladino, sr, Morgantown, W.V.
Sarah Robinson, sr, Palo Alto, Calif.
Emma Abrahamson, sr, Carlsbad, Calif.
Katie Rainsberger, soph, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Devin Clark, jr, Smithson Valley, Texas
Maddy Berkson, sr, Providence, R.I.
Sarah Feeny, sr, Ogden, Utah
Breakdown: If there was anything unclear about Feeny's domination of that Dream Mile last week, get ready for her to back it up and do it again. Feeny moved to No. 7 on the all-time mile list and with Efraimson out of the picture, she should be the class of the field. The most interesting storyline here could be Maxwell getting a second shot at Robinson after an unfortunate fall in the California state finals with 200 meters to go wiped out Maxwell and handed the win to Robinson. Paladino ran US#6 for the mile back in April at Penn Relays and Rainsberger ran 4:48.84 for 1600 meters in mile-high Colorado. Dorris, eighth last weekend in the Dream Mile, and Coleman, was second at NBNO, could be in striking range as well. A darkhorse is Berkson, who has great range from 400 to 3K.
Girls 2 Mile
The lineup:
Bella Burda, jr, Lagrangeville, N.Y.
Ella Donaghu, soph, Portland, Ore.
Destiny Collins, soph, Temecula, Calif.
Hannah DeBalsi, soph, Westport, Ct.
Hannah Christen, sr, Burke, Va.
Bethan Knights, sr, Irvine, Calif.
Audrey Belf, sr, Birmingham, Mich.
Brianna Schwartz, jr, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Caroline Alcorta, sr, Springfield, Va.
Makena Morley, jr, Bigfork, Mont.
Stephanie Jenks, soph, Marion, Iowa
Addie Zerrenner, sr, Goleta, Calif.
Breakdown: This might be deepest and most competitive race of the day. There are a half dozen girls in this race who have a realistic chance to win. Knights has run 9:54.89 for 3200 meters for US#1 and has to be mentioned alongside last week's NBNO two-mile champion DeBalsi, the Millrose Games mile champion Alcorta, the double Drake Relays champion Jenks, and the Oregon record-holder (3K) Donaghu. Morley was the runner-up in the NBNO 2-mile last week and Schwartz, who didn't have a great Dream Mile last week, is US#7 in the 3200. One of the great things about this race is the first meeting of all the prized sophomores -- DeBalsi, Jenks, Donaghu and Collins.
